Garments, such as coats and jackets, are becoming increasingly expensive. At the same time, there is a persistent and possibly increasing risk of such garments being stolen from public places when the wearer has removed the garment and temporarily left it unattended. The use of checkrooms to protect valuable garments can be inconvenient. Moreover, not all restaurants, concert halls, and other places where expensive garments are likely to be worn have secure checkrooms This situation has led to a reluctance on the part of some people to wear their best garments to places where the garments may have to be left unattended. When the garments are worn, the concern for their security can significantly detract from the enjoyment of the wearer.
The applicant is unaware of any device which addresses the security problems described above. The patent literature includes a number of examples of garment security devices for use in retail establishments, but not of devices which are sufficiently portable, flexible, and easy to operate to be used by an individual in the type of situation described above. Garment security devices suitable for use in retail stores are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,144, granted Apr. 16, 1968, to N. E. Webster; U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,674, granted May 27, 1975, to T. Rosenberg et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,183, granted Oct. 12, 1976, to F. Fernbaugh; U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,691, granted Jan. 24, 1978, to B. W. Simpson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,063, granted Apr. 7, 1981, to A. Bennett et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,092, granted Sept. 10, 1985, to J. DeSantis; U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,827, granted July 8, 1986, to T. A. Keifer; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,572; granted Aug. 11, 1987, to T. Jamison. Each of these eight patents, except the Keifer patent, discloses a device which includes a sleeve-engaging chain or other elongated member. The Keifer device has an elongated cable with one end having an enlarged plastic button for engaging a button hole and another end which engages a lock device mounted on a stanchion.
The Jamison patent discloses an anti-theft device for coupling a garment hanger to a suspension rail from which a garment is suspended by the hanger. The device includes a block which is attached to the suspension hook of the hanger. The block has an upper portion which forms a fixed hook and is provided with a key-operated locking mechanism. A midportion of a movable arm is pivotably attached to the block. One end of a chain is slidably received onto the fixed hook. The other end is permanently attached to the block, or has a ring similar to the ring on the first end for receiving the fixed hook. The fixed hook engages the rail in the same manner as the hook of an ordinary hanger to suspend the garment from the rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,729, granted Aug. 4, 1987, to K. A. Rogers, discloses anti-theft apparatus for a riding saddle. The apparatus includes a tether and a lock ring. The lock ring has two hinged halves. The hinge is enclosed by a connector to which the tether is attached. The free ends of the ring segments may be locked together and closely surround a saddle horn to permit the saddle to be tethered.
Webster and Bennett et al. disclose chains With one end permanently attached to a hanger and a second end that locks onto the hanger. Fernbaugh and DeSantis disclose an elongated member with one end that is attached to an overhead bar or rail. The other end of the Fernbaugh elongated member opens into a configuration in which it cannot be pulled back through the sleeve, or loops back and engages the rail. The other end of the DeSantis cable engages a lower security bar or loops back and engages the upper end. Rosenberg et al. disclose a chain having an upper end looped over a garment rack and an enlarged ring on the lower end to prevent it from being drawn through a sleeve. Simpson discloses a cable having one end attached to a hanger and a second end attached to a lock device mounted on a vertical support.